IFTTT vs Zapier vs Make: which automation tool should you use in 2026?
choosing an automation platform in 2026 can feel overwhelming. IFTTT, Zapier, and Make are the three biggest names in the space, but they are built for very different types of users. some people just want their smart lights to turn on at sunset. others need a 20 step workflow that routes data between a CRM, email platform, and accounting software.
I have been using all three tools for years across personal projects and business workflows. in this IFTTT vs Zapier vs Make comparison, I will break down exactly how they differ and help you pick the right one based on what you actually need.
if you are brand new to this space, check out my guide on the best no-code automation tools for beginners first.
you might also find our guide on 5 workflows every solo founder should automate in 2026 useful here.
quick 3-way comparison table
| feature | IFTTT | Zapier | Make |
|---|---|---|---|
| free plan | 2 Applets, unlimited runs | 100 tasks/month, 2-step Zaps | 1,000 credits/month, 2 active scenarios |
| paid plans start at | $2.99/month (annual) | $19.99/month (annual) | $9/month (annual) |
| top tier pricing | $8.99/month (Pro+) | $69.99/month (Team) | $29/month (Teams, 10k credits) |
| integrations | 900+ services | 9,300+ apps | 3,000+ apps |
| workflow type | Applets (simple triggers) | Zaps (linear multi-step) | Scenarios (visual branching) |
| billing model | flat monthly fee | per completed task | per credit (every module counts) |
| visual builder | simple toggle interface | form-based, linear | drag-and-drop canvas |
| AI features | AI services on Pro+ | Copilot, AI fields, Chatbots, MCP | AI agents, AI toolkit, 350+ AI apps |
| mobile app | excellent, full featured | functional but limited | basic, view-only |
| learning curve | very low | low | moderate to steep |
| best for | smart home, simple tasks | business automation, beginners | complex logic, developers |
IFTTT: the simple automation starter
IFTTT stands for “If This Then That” and it has been around since 2010. it was one of the first automation platforms and it still holds onto that original simplicity. the idea is straightforward: when something happens (trigger), do something else (action).
the free plan gives you 2 Applets with unlimited runs. that is generous if you just need a couple of automations running forever without worrying about task limits. the Pro plan at $2.99/month bumps you to 20 Applets with multi-action support, faster speeds, and Webhooks. the Pro+ plan at $8.99/month unlocks unlimited Applets, AI services, filter code, queries, and multi-account connections.
where IFTTT really shines is smart home and IoT. if you want your Philips Hue lights to change color when it rains, or your Roomba to start cleaning when you leave home, IFTTT handles that effortlessly. it connects to over 900 services with a heavy focus on consumer hardware brands.
the trade-off is that IFTTT is not built for complex business logic. you will not find conditional branching, error handling, or data transformation tools. it is a “set it and forget it” platform, and that simplicity is both its strength and its ceiling.
Zapier: the business automation powerhouse
Zapier is the most popular automation platform for businesses and for good reason. it connects to over 9,300 apps which is more than any competitor. the free plan includes 100 tasks per month with 2-step Zaps, unlimited Zaps, Tables, and Forms.
the Professional plan starts at $19.99/month (billed annually) and unlocks multi-step Zaps, unlimited premium apps, Webhooks, and email plus live chat support. the Team plan at $69.99/month adds shared workspaces, unlimited users, SSO, and shared app connections. there are also higher tiers scaling up to 2 million tasks per month for enterprise users.
Zapier introduced some serious AI features in 2026. the Copilot helps you build Zaps using natural language. there are AI-powered fields that classify, summarize, and extract data inline. the new Chatbots feature lets you build AI-powered customer facing bots. and Zapier MCP brings AI orchestration across the platform, letting you combine Zaps, Tables, Forms, and AI actions in one package.
the billing model counts completed tasks. filters and paths that do not produce an output do not count, which is fairer than it sounds. but at higher volumes, costs climb quickly. if you need 10,000 tasks per month, you are looking at around $99/month.
for a deeper look at how Zapier stacks up against Make specifically, I wrote a full Zapier vs Make comparison that goes into more detail.
Make: the visual workflow builder for power users
Make (formerly Integromat) takes a completely different approach. instead of a linear step-by-step builder, Make gives you a visual canvas where you drag and drop modules, add routers, filters, and branches. it feels more like building a flowchart than filling out a form.
the free plan is generous with 1,000 credits per month and two active scenarios. the Core plan starts at $9/month for 10,000 credits. the Pro plan at $16/month adds priority execution, custom variables, and full-text execution log search. the Teams plan at $29/month includes team roles and shared templates.
one important difference is how Make counts usage. every module execution in a scenario counts as one credit. so if your automation has 5 steps and runs once, that is 5 credits. this is more granular than Zapier’s task-based billing, where the whole execution counts as one task regardless of steps. for simple automations, Make is cheaper. for complex multi-step ones, the credits add up fast.
Make connects to over 3,000 apps, which is less than Zapier but still covers most tools you would need. where Make pulls ahead is in its visual builder. building complex logic with routers, iterators, and error handlers is genuinely easier on Make’s canvas than on any other platform.
if you want to get started with Make, I put together a beginner tutorial on Make automation that walks through building your first scenario.
head-to-head: pricing
pricing is where these three tools diverge the most.
IFTTT is the cheapest by far. you can get unlimited Applets with AI features for $8.99/month. there are no task limits or credit counts. you pay a flat fee and run your Applets as much as you want.
Zapier’s free plan is limited to 100 tasks, and the paid plan starts at $19.99/month. it scales with usage, so a small business doing 2,000 tasks per month pays $19.99 while someone at 50,000 tasks pays significantly more. the value is in the breadth of integrations and the simplicity of setup.
Make sits in the middle at $9/month for 10,000 credits. credit-based billing rewards efficiency because shorter workflows cost less. but if you build complex 10-module scenarios, those credits burn through quickly.
winner: IFTTT for budget buyers. Make for value at moderate volumes. Zapier for businesses that need the widest app coverage and are willing to pay for it.
head-to-head: ease of use
IFTTT is the easiest tool I have ever used for automation. you pick a trigger, pick an action, and you are done. the mobile app is also the best in class. you can set up and manage automations entirely from your phone.
Zapier is intuitive for beginners. the form-based builder walks you through each step. the new Copilot AI assistant means you can describe what you want in plain english and it builds the Zap for you.
Make has the steepest learning curve. the visual canvas is powerful but it takes time to understand modules, routers, aggregators, and iterators. once you get it, you will never want to go back. but the first few hours can feel frustrating.
winner: IFTTT for absolute beginners. Zapier for business users who want a guided experience. Make for people who enjoy building visual logic.
head-to-head: power and flexibility
this is where the rankings flip. IFTTT is limited to relatively simple trigger-action workflows. even with filter code on Pro+, you are not building anything complex.
Zapier handles multi-step workflows well with paths (conditional branching), formatters, and code steps. it is powerful enough for most business use cases.
Make is the clear winner here. routers let you split workflows into parallel branches. iterators process arrays item by item. error handlers catch failures and retry or reroute. you can build automation that rivals custom code without writing any.
winner: Make for complex workflows. Zapier for solid business logic. IFTTT for simple tasks only.
head-to-head: integrations
Zapier dominates with over 9,300 apps. if an app has an API, Zapier probably connects to it. this is its biggest competitive advantage and it keeps growing.
Make supports over 3,000 apps. that covers most popular tools but you may hit gaps with niche software. Make does let you build custom API connections with its HTTP module, which partially bridges the gap.
IFTTT connects to over 900 services. it covers the major consumer apps and smart home devices well, but business tools are limited compared to Zapier and Make.
winner: Zapier by a wide margin. Make is a solid second. IFTTT covers consumer and IoT well but falls short for business.
head-to-head: mobile experience
IFTTT has the best mobile app of the three. it was designed mobile-first and you can create, edit, and manage Applets entirely from your phone. the interface is clean and responsive.
Zapier’s mobile app works for monitoring and basic management but building complex Zaps on mobile is not a great experience. it is functional but clearly secondary to the web app.
Make’s mobile experience is the weakest. the app is mostly for viewing scenario runs and checking status. building or editing scenarios on mobile is not practical given the visual canvas design.
winner: IFTTT easily. Zapier is acceptable. Make is desktop-only in practice.
which tool wins for each use case?
not every automation tool fits every situation. here is who I would pick depending on what you need.
smart home and IoT automation: IFTTT. no contest. it was built for this and it connects to more smart devices than either competitor.
simple personal productivity: IFTTT or Zapier. if it is just two apps talking to each other, both work great. IFTTT is cheaper, Zapier has more app options.
small business automation: Zapier. the combination of 9,300+ integrations, an intuitive builder, and solid AI features makes it the best all-around business tool.
complex multi-branch workflows: Make. the visual builder with routers and error handling is unmatched. if you need conditional logic that branches three ways with different error recovery for each, Make is the only real option.
budget-conscious solopreneurs: Make for business automations, IFTTT for personal ones. both offer strong free plans and affordable paid tiers. for more on this, read my guide on workflows solopreneurs should automate.
teams and enterprises: Zapier for most teams. the shared workspaces, SSO, and admin controls are polished. Make’s Teams plan works well for technical teams that want shared templates and collaboration.
my overall recommendation
if I had to pick one tool to use in 2026, it would be Zapier for business and IFTTT for personal. but honestly, many people use two of these tools side by side. I run IFTTT for my smart home and Zapier for my business workflows. when I need something with complex branching logic, I switch to Make.
the good news is all three have free plans. try each one for a week with a real use case and you will know which fits your brain and your workflow.
if you are looking to automate a specific process, check out my guides on automating invoicing with Zapier and the best no-code automation tools for a broader overview.
frequently asked questions
can I use IFTTT, Zapier, and Make together?
yes. many people use IFTTT for smart home, Zapier for business workflows, and Make for complex data processing. they serve different niches and there is nothing stopping you from having accounts on all three. some advanced users even connect them to each other using Webhooks.
which is cheapest for small business?
IFTTT is the cheapest overall at $8.99/month for unlimited Applets. but for business-grade automation with multi-step workflows, Make at $9/month for 10,000 credits offers the best value. Zapier starts at $19.99/month but includes access to 9,300+ apps which may justify the higher price depending on your tool stack.
do these tools require coding?
none of them require coding for basic use. IFTTT is fully no-code. Zapier offers optional code steps in Python and JavaScript for advanced users. Make has an HTTP module and a few code-capable modules. but 90% of users on all three platforms never write a single line of code.
which has the best AI features in 2026?
Zapier has the most developed AI features with Copilot (natural language Zap builder), AI fields (inline data processing), Chatbots, and the new MCP layer for AI orchestration. Make offers AI agents and an AI toolkit with 350+ AI apps. IFTTT has basic AI services on Pro+ but lags behind the other two in this area.
can I migrate my workflows between these platforms?
there is no direct migration tool between IFTTT, Zapier, and Make. you would need to rebuild your workflows manually on the new platform. that said, Make and Zapier share similar concepts so moving between them is not too painful. IFTTT’s simpler Applets would need to be recreated from scratch on either platform.
last updated: march 2026. pricing and features may change. check each platform’s website for the latest details.
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